As temperatures rise, you might be considering a scenic road trip or leisurely day excursions. But have you thought about including a public garden in your summer plans? Currently, various unique green spaces are opening up across Canada, providing visitors with a rare opportunity to relax and unwind.
These stunning gardens not only offer a tranquil setting but also present chances to delve into native plants, sustainable horticulture, and the vital role of pollinators. The information gathered here can be applied back at your own home garden.
Discover some of the most impressive garden experiences in Canada, ranging from British Columbia to Quebec. Check out their respective websites to verify their seasonal opening times, explore available tours, special events, and the blooming attractions during your visit.
In British Columbia, the renowned Butchart Gardens in Brentwood Bay on Vancouver Island attract over a million visitors annually. This horticultural gem, with over 120 years of history, boasts vibrant blooms spread across 22 hectares. The Sunken Garden, nestled in an old limestone quarry, features 151 flower beds, winding paths, and a stunning dahlia border.
Another must-visit is The Gardens at Horticulture Centre of the Pacific in Victoria, offering themed spaces such as the largest outdoor bonsai garden in Canada, a bridal-themed garden, and a children’s garden with interactive learning experiences. In August, the gardens host an arts and music festival.
In Vancouver, the UBC Botanical Garden, established in 1916 as Canada’s oldest university botanical garden, offers various themed gardens, including a meadow, woodland garden, and a food garden with edible crops. The Greenheart TreeWalk, featuring suspended walkways, provides a unique perspective from 20 meters above the forest floor.
Moving to Alberta, the Muttart Conservatory in Edmonton showcases four glass pyramids housing over 700 plant species, making it one of Canada’s largest indoor plant collections. Each pyramid represents a different biome, including temperate, arid, tropical, and rotating exhibitions.
The University of Alberta Botanic Garden in Parkland County, the province’s largest public garden, features diverse spaces like the Indigenous Peoples Garden, Kurimoto Japanese Garden with a teahouse, and the Aga Khan Garden inspired by Islamic architecture.
In Saskatchewan, the Patterson Garden Arboretum in Saskatoon serves as a conservation area for native plants and endangered tree species. The University of Saskatchewan garden’s unique climate tests woody plant species’ resilience to extreme winter temperatures.
Heading to Manitoba, the Assiniboine Park Conservancy in Winnipeg encompasses six main gardens and The Leaf, an indoor horticultural experience with four different biomes and Canada’s tallest indoor waterfall. The property also includes the Assiniboine Park Zoo.
In Ontario, the Royal Botanical Gardens sprawl over 850 hectares in Hamilton and Burlington, featuring ornamental spaces, nature sanctuaries, and themed gardens like Hendrie Park, known for its rose garden and healing garden. The Toronto Botanical Garden offers 18 themed spaces, including the entry garden walk and demonstration courtyard with gardening workshops and events.
Further, Whistling Gardens in Wilsonville, Ontario, transformed from a cornfield, showcases around 1,300 peony varieties, conifers, and a grand water theatre inspired by the Palace of Versailles. In Quebec, the Reford Gardens in Grand-Métis are divided into Elsie Reford’s original gardens and the International Garden Festival installations.
Exploring the Maritimes, Kingsbrae Garden in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, features over 50,000 perennials in themed spaces like the children’s fantasy garden and sculpture garden. The New Brunswick Botanical Garden in Edmundston offers themed gardens, a herbalist shop, rose garden, and mosaïculture structures.
In Newfoundland, the Memorial University Botanical Garden in St. John’s serves as an outdoor classroom, featuring themed gardens and trails through various ecosystems. Nova Scotia’s Halifax Public Gardens in Halifax, a national historic site, offers Victorian-era garden features and hosts summer concerts.
Lastly, the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, combines history and horticulture with a recreated Acadian house, knot garden, rose maze, and a vast rose collection. These captivating gardens across Canada provide a perfect opportunity to appreciate nature’s beauty and learn about diverse plant species and garden designs.
